Eastern Uganda's Insurgencies: NRA's Early Battles Beyond the North

Following its ascent to power in 1986, President Museveni’s National Resistance Army (NRA) simultaneously managed conflicts on multiple fronts. While the north saw the emergence of the bush war against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), the east presented a different set of rebellions, primarily the Uganda People’s Army (UPA) in Teso and Force Obote Back Again (FOBA) in Busia and Bukedi.

The Teso insurgency, led by figures like Peter Otai, Ben Etonu, and William Omaria, was partly a consequence of the NRA’s dismantling of local defense units designed to counter Karamoja cattle rustlers. This left Teso vulnerable, exacerbating economic hardship and contributing to the rise of the UPA. The conflict was marked by accusations of atrocities from both sides, including the infamous Mukura massacre, where dozens died of suffocation in a sealed train wagon.

Peace efforts were initiated by religious leaders and elders, with government ministers attempting negotiations. These efforts were fraught with challenges, including the capture of delegates and the ongoing military operations by the NRA, which had relocated thousands to camps to isolate insurgents. Despite setbacks, the UPA ultimately demobilized through an amnesty program and negotiations.

In the Busia and Bukedi regions, FOBA emerged, composed mainly of former Uganda National Liberation Army soldiers and UPC officials. This group targeted government supporters and resisted the NRA for over two years. Their highly mobile tactics made them difficult to track, and the NRA struggled to provide security. A local strategy involving the recruitment and coordination of Local Defence Units (LDUs) under figures like Job Were eventually proved effective.

A turning point for FOBA came in September 1987, with a direct confrontation at Bumungi Trading Centre, leading to the death or capture of several rebel leaders. Their subsequent attack on Busia Police Station in 1989, where they were repelled by police and LDUs, marked a significant blow. Mop-up operations and the destruction of a training camp in Amonikakinei Forest effectively ended FOBA’s operational capacity.

A lesser-known group, the Ninth October Movement (NOM), also operated along the Uganda-Kenya border, believed to be part of the broader anti-NRM sentiment of the era. By the early 1990s, these major eastern insurgencies had either been suppressed or integrated into peace processes, though new conflicts were emerging elsewhere.

This article was sourced from the Daily Monitor.